The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-08-04
ONO POLITICS AND CANALS.

a Chat with Member Of the board of Public
Works Halin-A Possible Waterway.
Hon. W. NJ. Hahn, member Of the
Board Of. Public Works Of Ohio, Hpent
last night In the city on. his way down the
river. Mr.. Hahn comes from Mansfield,
the home Of Honest John Sherman, and
he Is q Sherman man from way back. He
is Chairman of the Republican Committee
Of Richlsnd county, q hustler, a Jolly good
fellow and an efficient member OF the
body which presides over Ohio's canal
system Of 720 miles.
In response to an inquiry from an In.
~rELLIGRNcER reporter Mr.. Hahn said:
1.-THE Republican party in Ohio has not
been in such good condition for years.
Tho fences are all in order, and it would
not surprise me if we got 5000 majority
for our ticket. Its q soldiers ticket and
a young mans ticket, and 1t pleeses the
people. You should have been up to tho
Toledo convention. 1t ives O beautiful
affair. Everybody went in to strengthen
the party and you may DO sure that is
what was done" .a,tf Fs
"What will DO the effect Of the Prohibi-
ton ticket this year,"
swell, the reasonable temperance me
are satisfied with the really excellent Dow
law. They SEQ that 1t is practical and that
the Republican party means to stand by
it in good faith. The men who can't be
satisfied have gona from, us, and We shall
have to get along without them. But We
shall gain from other sources, particularly
from the %workingmsn who believe in
protection and q party that means pro-
lection"
a"Tell me something about your canals
what is their future il any?"
sour canals are in better condition than
they have been for q long time. We are
at work improving them as our money
| will allow. The next General Assembly
will mako more liberal appropriations,
and we shall prosecute the work on q
larger scale.F Our people are in favor Of
the canals. They SEQ the great possibili-
tiea for their enlarged usefulness, and there
is no longer any prospect OF their being
Abandoned. Tbs canals ran down terri
bly, under the system Of Leasing them'to
men who worked them principally for
their water power-gave S20.000 q year for
eAo.n LUZ oJosono oao Auhuo Atou Soo,Voo
to $4,000 a year out Of them by letting
them run down."
"We take some interest here in the
Wheeling, Mt. Vernon 4 Coshocton Rail-
road, which was to use the bad Of the
Walhouding canal part Of the way"
sThey will never use 1t. That grant
was not valid. Tho land was coded to the
State for a canal, not to be given away for
any purpose. II the State abandons the
canal the land rever!s to the successors Of
those who gave it. Not long ago 1 was
inspecting the causis and saw fences run
ming across It. / learned that Gen. Jones,
the President OF the road, authorized the
fences to be built. I had them ali taken
down. They will stay down."
E"You were saying something about
great improvement in tho canals.""5
"Yes, ws'are going ahead to make them
more usetul to the people. In time, l
don't know how soon, there will DO a great
waterway from Cincinnati to the lake,
capable OF carrying larger craft than any
thing now thought of on our canals. It
will be constructed by connecting the
canals we have and improving them gem
orally. See what the State Of New YORK
has done with the Erie canal, what money
she spends to maintain it, and Of what I'D.
vantage is 1t to her people. Ohio had q
grant Of $780, 900 acres of land IRON the
Government for her canals, aud they we're
to transport troops, munitions ofwar and
mails. They couldn't do muchEi that
limo in their present condition, The ays.
tenn ! speak of would coat money, OF
course, but it would be worth money to
the, shippers OF the State. The Treasury.
books chow q fund of $1,000 900 to the
credit Of our canals, which Ia not 3 bad
showing! when everything Is considered.
The money has been, ueed for other pur-
poses, but the canals have earned It."